THE DAILY WHIP: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2013

H.Res. 256 – Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 1256– Swap Jurisdiction Certainty Act (Rep. Garrett – Financial Services) and general debate of H.R. 1960– National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Rep. McKeon – Armed Services) (One Hour of debate). The Rules committee has recommended one Rule which would provide for consideration of H.R. 1256 and only general debate of H.R. 1960.

The Rules committee has recommended a closed Rule for H.R. 1256 that provides for 60 minutes of general debate allocated as follows:

40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services

20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Agriculture

The Rules Committee rejected a motion by Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts to consider H.R. 1256 under an open Rule. The Rule allows one motion to recommit, with or without instructions and waives all points of order against the legislation.

The Rule also provides for one hour of general debate on H.R. 1960, equally divided between the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Armed Services. The Rule only deals with general debate. A second Rule for amendments to H.R. 1960 is expected to be considered on the Floor tomorrow.

H.R. 1256– Swap Jurisdiction Certainty Act (Rep. Garrett – Financial Services) (One Hour of Debate). The bill would require the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to develop a joint approach to the regulation of derivatives trading that takes place outside the U.S. The bill would exempt foreign entities in compliance with the regulatory requirements of certain nations from those U.S. requirements unless the SEC and CFTC jointly determine that the regulatory requirements are not “broadly equivalent” to U.S. swaps requirements.

Begin Consideration of H.R. 1960 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Rep. McKeon – Armed Services) (One Hour of Debate). The bill would provide for the authorization of funding for the Department of Defense and other related agencies, programs, and operations for Fiscal Year 2014. It provides for $552.1 billion in new discretionary authority for DOD ($54 billion above sequestration levels) plus an additional $85.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) ($5 billion above the President’s request).

In addition to authorizing all operations at the Pentagon, as well as military operations overseas, the bill also includes some policy additions/restrictions, including: a restriction of funds used to both release prisoners at the Guantánamo Bay detention center to a foreign country or entity, and on domestic transfers and construction or modification of U.S. facilities to house Guantánamo detainees; Sexual Assault Prevention (SAP), including a removal of commanders’ authority to dismiss or reduce court martial sentences, new mandatory minimums, longer statutes of limitations, victim counseling, and SAP training requirements and oversight; and language aimed at expanding religious freedom protections for service members.

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK The GOP Leadership has announced the following schedule for Thursday, June 13: The House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. The House is expected to continue consideration of H.R. 1960 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Rep. McKeon – Armed Services) (Subject to a Rule).

The Daily Quote

“The Senate approved a sweeping new farm bill on Monday that will cost nearly $955 billion over the next 10 years, the first step in a renewed attempt at passing legislation that will set the country’s food and agriculture programs and policy. The bill… passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, 66 to 27. The Senate passed a similar bill last year, but the House failed to bring its bill to a vote… In the House, the farm bill faces a much tougher road. Last year, conservative lawmakers helped kill the bill because of their desire for deeper cuts in the food stamp program, which serves about 45 million Americans. Hoping to satisfy conservatives, the House Agriculture Committee recently increased the amount of cuts to the program to the $20 billion mark over the next 10 years, up from $16 billion in last year’s bill.”